Take Ivy Waterproof Coat

For New and Old English Weather

The Yellow Fiskur Mac from Percival Clothing looks remarkably like those worn by students on page 16 (below) of the classic Take Ivy — a photo-journal of Ivy League style from the 1960s. In other words, it's of interest to us.

When I first saw the coat, I immediately thought Take Ivy. I pulled the book from my shelf, leafing madly through the pages like I had discovered the Da Vinci Code — and bingo!

Safe to say, then, that the coat has a timeless look — looking as good today as its doppelgänger from 1965. The waterproof coat is constructed from famous British Millerain drywaxed cotton, with binded seams for extra weather resistance. The coat also has proper horn buttons. With the unadorned look of the jacket, the horn buttons really stand out. Cheap buttons would have spoiled the effect.

If you're a student looking for something to wear when dashing between an ivy-clad library and a Georgian pub when the rain is lashing down in New England or old England, Percival's waterproof coat will clearly fit the bill. You might even use it for your weekend sailing lessons at the local yacht club.

If you want live up to page 16, the coat demands a brush cut, Bill Evans' Undercurrent carried under the arm, a blue Oxford button-down shirt, a pair of slim white chinos, and brown loafers.

Economic Utility

The coat is Made in London in a limited edition of only thirty. This is something Pervical are doing with many of their pieces, and it's a great idea, as I've said before. Good ideas are worth repeating. This isn't the industrial-scale production shared by fast fashion high street brands and multinational high-end labels.

You're getting something that is well designed and made in the UK using British materials, but also something that is almost unique. In terms of economic utility, this represents a spellbinding cost to value proposition.

And it's like those coats on page 16 of Take Ivy.